CREATIVE ARTS

Health Care

Therapeutic Recreation and Creative Arts

For twenty years I have worked in the Creative Arts Studios and on the Units of a Long Term Care facility. I am a Resident Artist sharing my artistic knowledge and deepening empathy with my elderly students.

LE GRANDE COLBERT

Mug Mania

Two colours are chosen with a mystery colour thrown in for good measure. With diminishing vision, Colbert takes up his paint brushes with great verve and applies the colour to the slab in front of him. This abstraction is energized and creates delight.

Road Kill

With more trust and a great sense of humour Colbert chortled at the idea hammering these poor creatures.

When finished he proudly gave each one to family.

"It is our brain that gives us our experience of the world"

Oliver Sacks

Portrait

For these works I sit in front of my resident and play with the clay until a face emerges. There is much banter, teasing and a little flirting. All portraits are scrutinized by their model to be passed or squished.

Portraits have also been critiqued by my “go to resident” who tells me if I have imbued

too much of myself into the portrait or rendered a pure image.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

November 11

Plate

The beauty is in the surprises.

It is my idea to make and paint a plate. At that point the resident takes control with their hands, choices in colour and design. Through conversation, trial and error the piece comes into its own and is only finished when the resident says so.

Along the way I must bite my tongue and try not to interfere .... so difficult !!

"I feel and relate therefore I am."

Stephen Post

MONSTER

Collaboration with Norman

I loved making this piece, squishing the clay and then placing in front of Norman and watching him destroy, move and create a new piece.

Great learning curve!!

Blob

A lump of clay and a good conversation.

Clay for some if a foreign material, they complain that it is cold, and they certainly don't like their hands dirty afterwards. I love clay for all these reasons.....so it may take time but in the end I get my way.